Current small arms use mounting rail systems for attaching accessories to the small arm. For example, M4 and M16 carbines are often fitted with handguards that incorporate up to four Picatinny rails. Picatinny rails are well known mounting rails that meet the specifications contained in MIL-STD-1913 and MIL-STD-1913 Notice 1. Another mounting rail called the Weaver rail is a notoriously well known variation of the Picatinny rail. Battaglia discloses a mounting rail system in U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,711 while Olson discloses another in U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,363.
A number of accessories have been developed to attach to small arms by way of mounting rails. Kim discloses a rail mounted laser in U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,624. Rail mounted flashlights are also in common use. Current art laser accessories are similar to laser pointers in that they contain a laser, lens, and batteries within a housing. The housing is adapted to attach to a mounting rail such as the Picatinny rail or Weaver rail. Rail mounted flashlights are also common and contain a broad band light source, lens, and batteries within a rail mountable housing.
Toy replica firearms such as Airsoft toys are pellet firing small arms replicas. Hobbyists enjoy engaging in mock non-lethal battles using toy replica firearms because they are realistic looking and fire non lethal, although often painful, pellets. The realistic toys are also used in small arms training because the toys can have the same weight, size, and accessories as firearms used in combat or police work. The toy replica firearms are often realistic enough that many after market accessories can be used with both small arms and with toy replica firearms. Toy replica firearms, however, often use electric motors to pressurize air that is then used to propel pellets. The electric motor is commonly powered by batteries that are located in the rifle butt, the pistol grip, or the handguard. Those practiced in combat training and police training are familiar with toy replicas.
Some firearms and toy replica firearms have handguards incorporating four Picatinny rails to which four or more accessories can be attached. The result is a front heavy firearm that is difficult to balance and slow to point. As such, systems and methods are needed to address shortcomings in the prior art.